A Spanish priest has been arrested after allegedly being found carrying a large amount of designer pink cocaine.
Carlos Loriente Garcia, a 45-year-old priest from the Archdiocese of Toledo, was detained in Torremolinos by the Policia Nacional on suspicion of committing an offence against public health.
According to the Provincial Police Station, the holy man was found in possession of 10 packets of the designer drugs, known colloquially as ‘tusi’.
He was stopped in the early hours of Monday, September, 22 on a public street with an assortment of drugs that, according to police sources, exceeded quantities typically associated with personal use.
Loriente had reportedly rented a holiday apartment in the Malaga town, where he was staying with several young men.
Sources familiar with the investigation told Diario Sur that the group had allegedly been using illegal substances during their stay.
The situation escalated late at night when one of the guests began making a scene on the apartment’s terrace, even threatening to jump.
Police officers responded to the incident, calmed the distressed individual, and searched the group.
During the search, they allegedly found 10 sachets of suspected psychotropic substances – possibly MDMA and mephedrone – in the priest’s belongings. The contents are currently being analysed.
Loriente reportedly gave officers permission to search the apartment, where they found further signs of recent drug use, including a precision scale and a single-dose bag of drugs.
He was taken into custody and brought before Court of Instruction No. 5 in Torremolinos.
The Archdiocese of Toledo has issued a statement confirming the priest’s arrest and expressing deep regret over the events that led to it.
The Church authorities strongly condemned any criminal behaviour the priest may have committed and stated their full trust in the judicial system.
Although they stressed that the matter falls within the personal responsibility of the accused, the Archdiocese said it was prepared to fully cooperate with the authorities.
The statement confirmed that a disciplinary process has been opened, and that Loriente has been suspended from his duties as a precautionary measure.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
